Jets quarterback Geno Smith reportedly kicked off plane for refusing to get off his cellphone

New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith has realized there is something more dangerous than toying with New England’s defense.

Not taking an airline employee seriously.

According to the Daily News, Smith was kicked off a Virgin America flight out of Los Angeles International Airport on Friday because he refused to get off his cellphone after being asked three times by the flight crew.

Here is a portion of the Daily News’ story:

“The incident occurred around 2:30 p.m., the source said, when LAX Port Authority cops got a call to respond to an incident at Gate 37A. A Virgin America supervisor had already escorted Smith from the gate and both were at the airline’s kiosk because the flight had already departed.

“The supervisor told the cops that the captain hadn’t wanted Smith on the flight.”

After repeatedly being asked to get off his cellphone, Smith was booted off the plane and not allowed to schedule another flight with Virgin America.

“He (Smith) said he didn’t know why he was kicked off the flight,” a source told the Daily News. “He said it was because he was black. Virgin Airlines refused to re-book him because he was being disruptive.”

Smith had a rough rookie season, throwing 12 touchdowns, 21 interceptions and eventually getting benched. This is not a great way to start a new year.

Anyone with a television knows battling airline employees is a losing battle. A passenger might be able to get away with one warning, but the airline representative's mood will not improve after a second warning. Nobody enjoys turning their phone off prior to takeoff, but everyone understands the repercussions of testing those boundaries.